Tightening device for spring bed-bottoms.



Nu. 634,531. Patented cm.- 10, I899.

. A..0, LOTTMAN.

TIGHTENI'NG DEVICE FOR SPRING BED BOTTUHS.

(Application filed Dec. 31, 1898.)

(No Medal.)

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UNITED STATES ALBERT C. LOTTMAN,

PATENT OF I E.

OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

TIGHT ENING DEVICE FOR SPRING BED-BOTTOMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 634,531, dated October 10,1899.

Applicationyfiled December 31, 1898. Serial No. 700,788. (No model.)

To all whom it near/y concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT O. LOTIMAN, a citizen of the United States of America, residin g at Houston, in the county of Harris and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tightening Devices for Spring Bed-Bottoms; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make'and use thasame.

This invention is an improvement in spring bed-bottoms, and relates more especially to certain deviceswhich provide a simple and eifective means for tightening or adjusting the bed-bottom and securely holding such adjustment, the particular construction and arrangement of said devices forming a means of adjustment that can be conveniently operated, offers no obstruction, and will not become accidentally disengaged, and, further, possesses the very important advantageof being strong and durable.

\Vith the above ends in view the invention contemplates the production of an adjustable bed-bottom or frame for wire-spring mattresses thatcan be manufactured at small cost and in which the adjustment may be effectedwithout the employment of any supplemental device or tool.

The following specification enters "into a detail description of'the construction and operation of my invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to letters thereon, which designate the difierent parts,

and what I consider to be the novel features of construction and desire protection upon are.

more specifically set forth in theappended claims.

In the drawings forming part hereof, Figure 1 is a plan view of a spring bed-bottom constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional View on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the operating-lever and gravity-pawl carried thereby.

Referring more particularly to said'drawings, A and A designatethe side pieces or longitudinal rails of the frame of the bedbottom, which are connected to each other at one end by a flat cross-piece A and at the other end bya roller 13. v The roller is proturn therein and are held in place by caps or ferrules D,'the projecting ends of said spindles being passed through the side rails A A and secured thereto, as shown. This construction prevents spreading of the side rails of the frame and permits the roller to be turned and thereby take up any slack in the wire fabric E, the said fabric being attached at one end to the cross-piece A and at its other end to the'roller for this'purpose'.

Toprovide a simple and convenient means for turning the roller and holding the adjustment ofthe same, I have devised certain attachments which I shall now proceed to describe. In the first place the metal caps or ferrules at the ends of the roller are each provided with a circumferential series of holes d, with which the pawls of the adjusting devices engage. Engaging the holes .in one of the ferrules is a pawl F, consisting of a fiat strip or plate of metal pivoted at one end to the inner side of one of the side rails of the frame and provided at its free endwith a hook j, which engages said holes. The pawl is brought into engagement with the ferrule or holes therein by means of a helical spring f, attached to an intermediate portion of the pawl and to the lower edge of the rail. Engaging the holes in theferrule at the other end of the roller is a pawl g, pivoted to the intermediate portion of a lever G, which is fulcrumed on the adjoining spindle O, and for this purpose said lever is provided at its end with a hole through which the spindle ,passes. This lever is preferably a flat plate, and after'an adjustment of the roller has been made will lie fiat against the inner side of the rail, abutting against a pin H, which is larger at its-outer end and tapers inward, so as to cause the lever to ride upon the inclined surface of the pin, bringing said lever to bear closely against the side rail and preventing accidental disengagement thereof.

When it is desired to tighten orjtake up slack in the wire fabric E, the lever is moved out of engagement with the pin, and the pawl carried thereby being iuengagement with one of the holes in the ferrule thelever is raised until the pawl F engages the next hole of the other ferrule, after which the levided at its ends with short spindles O,which ver is again brought in contact with the pin H, and the pawl g being in engagement with the roller will assist in preventing-backward rotation of the same. It will be noted that the end of the pawl g also engages the pin H, and in the normal position of the parts or adjusting devices will provide against accidental disengagement of the said pawl.

The adjusting devices provide a ready and convenient means of turning the roller and holding the adjustment of the same, and the said devices lying closely against the side rails will be out of the way, so as not to offer any obstruction or catch in the hair mattress and other covering which may be placed upon the wire fabric.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A bed-bottom frame for wire mattresses, comprising the side rails connected to each other at one end by a cross-piece, a roller journaled in the other end of the side rails, said roller havin g a cireuin ferential series of holes at each end, a pawl pivoted to the inner side of one of the rails to engage one set of holes in the roller, a lever fulcrnmed on the other end of the roller, a pawl pivoted to said leverand provided with a projecting rear end, and a pin projecting from the adjoining side rail to contact with the lever and pawl, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

2. A bed-bottom frame for wire mattresses, comprising the side rails connected to each other at one end byacrosspiece, a roller journaled in the other end of said side rails, the roller having a circumferential series of holes at each end, a pawl engaging one set of holes, a lever fnlcru med on the spindle at the other end of the roller, a pawl pivoted to the lever and provided with a projecting rear end, and a pin limiting the throw of the lever in one direction, the said pin being tapered from its outer end inward, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with a frame for wirespring mattresses, of a roller, short spindles let into the ends of said roller, metal caps at- I tached to the ends of the roller to hold the spindles in place, said caps each havinga circumferential series of holes, a pawl pivoted to the frame to engage one set of holes, a lever fulcru med on the spindle at the other end of the roller, a pawl pivoted to said lever and adapted to engage the other set of holes, and a pin projecting from the frame to limit the throw of the lever in one direction, substantially as shown andfor the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT C. LOTTMAN.

Witnesses:

H. T. MCCUNIG, E, E. KATTMANN. 

